Mike's Directory

It's a Guy Thing

You are here: Home / Archives for Lifestyle

How to Smoke a Cigar

by

cigar-guyCigar smoking is definitely cool.  It does have its basis solidly in tradition, but it’s far from old-fashioned.  You know what’s not cool?  Doing it wrong.

Cigar smoking can contribute style, sophistication and enjoyment to your life, but if you don’t smoke your first one correctly you may leave with the wrong impression. Choosing the wrong cigar will taint  your perception of quality, and trying to cut a cigar without correct equipment and technique is just asking for failure.  And if you carry out the error of inhaling..bad move.

Buy Here:

gothamcigars.com-coupons mikes-hand

Free Shipping On All Orders $150+ 

AG2015
bnb mikes-hand

Get up to 70% off Cigars samplers

CFBB

Learn Here:

Real World Strength Training

by

acefitness

Get Certified as a Fitness Professional & Save $100.

What you need to know.

  • The term “functional training” has been abused. Training with a purpose is what we are after;
  • Trap bar deadlifts give all of the benefit of the deadlift plus add the ability to alter levers and improve form to generally be safer for the lower back;
  • Bear crawls recruit motor patterns we use when sprinting plus  also challenging our  core, shoulders, plus hips;
  • Single-leg training gives greater muscle development and better muscle strength as it works more muscle; and
  • The farmer’s walk is now a staple exercise for core training to deal with real force in motion.

realworldstrength
Purposeful Training, Not Functional

1. Trap Bar Deadlifts

The basic deadlift is a common favorite, but often  physical restrictions stop people from carrying it out effectively.

The trap bar deadlift provides all of the benefits of the deadlift along with the ability to change levers and alter form to utilize the lift effectively, without the associated risks and issued of the regular deadlift.

The trap bar deadlift is a key part of training with purpose, permitting us the maximum benefit of the deadlift without the risk.

This isn’t weak and doesn’t slow you down. It extends your training ability and longevity.
2. Bear Crawls

Bear crawls permit us to practice motor patterns we use while sprinting plus also challenging the core, shoulders and hips to stabilize our body.

Try doing 3 x 20 yards. Try them with dumbbells in both hands. it goes without saying – increase the weight as you can.

3. Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat

Single-leg training fosters more muscle-growth and greater muscle strength as it works more muscles. It doesn’t just work prime movers, but stabilizers and neutralizers, as well.
Regardless of all that, if you run, play sports, or move recreationally, then it’s important that you jump on one leg and start getting improving.

4. Press-Ups

If you want to maintain your shoulder health in the long term, it makes no sense to focus only on the barbell. A barbell is harsher on the joints than press-ups, regardless of the weight.

Like chin-ups, press-ups done with weight permit for normal movement of your shoulder joint and scapula while still challenging your chest. As an added extra you’re working your core to get stronger at the same time.

Prior to barbells there were press-ups. It’s the exercise that has stood the test of time. Stick it into the routine and reap the benefits.
Do 3 sets of 12, using a weighted vest, weights on your back or resitance bands.

5. Farmer’s Walk

The farmer’s walk is now a staple exercise for core training to deal with real force in motion

An  exercise with huge bang for buck, farmer’s walks give an overload to the traps, core, hips, and grip strength, as well as the cardio system.

See how much you can carry for max distance… x2.

The Assertive Man – How to

by

assertive-300x200

When the majority of people hear that a person is “assertive,” their first thought is to equate this with being ‘bossy’ or ‘pushy’. But assertive behavior is a fine way to not only get what you want, but determine mutually-beneficial solutions.

The Story:

So I’m am a regular around my college rec center basketball courts as a way to work out. In the area I usually play, there are 3 basketball courts dedicated to full-court play. Often, I walk in to find a game on a court, and about 20 other guys just waiting to play with their team of 5, despite the fact that there are 2  open courts to play on. This is mostly because most guys are not assertive enough to start a game on one of the other courts. As I’m attempting to live assertively, I often organize a game by locating 9 other people who are also waiting to play. Not only does this benefit me, it benefits the others as soon after there’s a waiting line to play on my court.

This story suggests a number of few pieces of advice for how to become more assertive:

1. Start small

If you’re not used to being assertive, you probably won’t find much profit from taking on your bank to eliminate your monthly service charges for your account alone. Start with individuals before institutions. Learn to deal with individual, free-thinking people, before you start trying to change the bureaucracies of institutions. This approach will also start you on the right foot because you will learn how your position appeals to the individual interests of the person, which leads to the second point.

2. How will getting what you want benefit the other person.

Humans often act in their own interest. If you can determine how to tell a person that what you want is also what they want, you will find success. In the previous example, I want a game of basketball, and my starting a game will stop the other 9 men from waiting for the current game to end. This is mutually-beneficial and is often accomplished as I explain that what I want is in the interest of the others. This can be extrapolated further -“If you drop the price for this item, I’ll get something else as well.” Use human nature in your advantage, and figure out a way to explain how what you want is what the other person(s) want.

3. Consistency

The first time you try to carry this out, you might fail, that’s OK. But, if you aren’t consistent in your attempts, you probably are unlikely to find success in abandoning your passivity. Figure out why your assertive approach did not succeed, and next time alter your approach. After a time, your assertive qualities will become routine, making you a better leader and overall more successful man.

The ‘Dad Bod’ Trend Is Giving Normal Men Some Hope

by

A short time ago I had no absolutely idea what a  ‘dad bod’ was.  The ‘dad bod’ is a new infatuation with bodies that state, “I workout in the gym fromtime to time, but I also drink a lot and like to eat ten pieces of pizza at a time.”

It all began with Clemson University’s The Odyssey, via Mackenzie Pearson‘s piece “Why Girls Love The Dad Bod.” The basic premise is a “physique characterized by undefined muscles beneath a light layer of flab, usually topped off with a beer belly.” That effectively means anyone who played sport in school then started eating pizzas for lunch  – within reason – and has some chance with girls who like this kind of thing.

dadbod

The reasons Pearson provided for her attraction to the dad bod were:

It doesn’t intimidate us.
This is always positive, and we’ll take what we can get .

We like being the pretty one.
I  haven’t been called pretty…ever. And we’re OK if that don’t change.

“Better cuddling.”

Well Yep…

You know what you’re getting.

Well ok – BUT – guy with dad bods will pack weight on down the line and maybe hit the morbidly obese benchmark. It’s all relative.
It’s interesting to see this online and  see a bunch of females (and a large percentage of the net) appreciating this reality of life.

Think you have an STD

by

So awesome…that trip to Cancun – or Thailand – or during spring break you SCORED big-time and you are the man.

You think that you were the only hookup she had? Doubt it. And now you have this weird:

  • swelling
  • discharge
  • pain
  • itchiness

…that just won’t go away. Firstly – IDIOT. It may be manly to hookup James Bond style as often as you can – but there is no excuse for getting STD exposure in this casual way. You screw around and you get eventually get burned.

This arose recently with a ‘colleague’ of mine. He used this company to do the testing as it’s totally online and you don’t need to go to some embarrassing clinic and wait in line with all the other suckers.

 stdcheck  mikes-hand Save $10 using coupon code: 10OFFORDER

You can also save $10 off you order – which is not much but what the hell. You can use the $10 to go towards buying some chick a drink when you are NOT contagious and ready to party again.

 

Improve Your Gin and Tonic

by

A Simple, Easy (but not necessarily cheap) Trick to Improve the humble Gin and Tonic

gin-and-tonic-feature-1-manmade_large

For many years, I didn’t think I liked the humble gin and tonic. For quite a while, I thought it was the gin that I detested, but some smarter friends helped me with some really amazing gin-focused cocktails, and I very quickly moved away from the staple of vodka in favor of gin’s truly special aromatic qualities. At that point I figured I just didn’t care for standard tonic water.

The results of this investigation? One, I really like gin. Two, I like tonic. And three, I do like them together. So what was the issue with all those early drinks that sent me into disgust?

gin-and-tonic-tonic-2

It wasn’t the brand of gin, but actually…the type of tonic water. The syrup-sweetened (and commonly available) Schweppe’s  just doesn’t hit it for me. It’s far too sweet, almost like lemonade.

So, if you wish to instantly improve the gin and tonics, invest in superior tonic water. Or at the very least, try a few brands to determine which you prefer, rather than just go with what you can find at the store. Some tonics to look for: Q Tonic and Fever Tree. Or, if you’re feeling specially ambitious, you could make your own tonic syrup and mix it with plain soda. There are recipes online.

Make Your Own Tonic Water

The point being, a gin and tonic is a truly basic drink with two distinctive elements, So, don’t skimp on the tonic.

 

gin-and-tonic-3

To finish the article….I do still find most tonics overly sweet, even the better brands. Try my trick of cutting the tonic with soda water. I like to do equal club soda and tonic and bulk up the aromatics with two dashes of orange or lemon bitters.

Favorite Summertime Gin and Tonic:

  • 2 oz. London dry gin
  • 2 oz. Fever Tree Mediterranean-style tonic water
  • 2 oz. club soda
  • 2 dashes Fee Brothers orange bitters
  • Garnish: lime wedge or cucumber slice

New Wave Barbershops

by

I found this video covering the “new wave” of barbershops that are growing across America at a pretty steady rate. Modern day men are increasingly becoming tired of going to the sterile salons. Sometimes men just want a place to get away from neutrality and get immersed with the scent of warm lather and the sensation of the straight razor on the back of their neck–things that would be tough to find in the sterile unisex salon.

This is precisely where the new barbershop revival comes into it’s own. Some barber shops, supply awesome beer, shuffleboard , and vintage chairs, all designed specifically to make men feel comfortable. Of course some women may enjoy it as well, and it’s unlikely that they would refuse women service, but these barbershops target men. In most ways, the unisex salon targets women, and men just go along. In this case, men decided to target men, but would let women attend. It’s essentially an identical business model, but approached from the opposite direction.

Men are increasingly appreciating a good shave and cut, and it’s great to see these new barbershops appearing. As a man who feels confident and happy right after a shave and haircut, I salute the efforts of these men and hope to see this trend go on.

Saving Money in Europe

by

So Mrs.Mike has inherited a little money recently. All very sad as it always is but she has decided to take a trip over the Pond (Atlantic) for a few weeks with the kids. Insane I think on her own with young kids tagging along but there you go…

Even with the inherited money Europe is insanely expensive. I’ve been researching how to make it more affordable while not being a scrooge about it. Apart from my suggestion she take advantage of the natural protection from the weather that bridges afford, I also bought these passes for the family. They mean that you pay once to get admission to a huge range of attractions in Paris and London. Doing the math this saves hundreds of dollars and makes me look involved and caring – something every man needs to appear to be.

mikes-hand Find the best fares on your next flights, with a fantastic food, drink and entertainment and onboard WiFi
mikes-hand Millions of flights & cheap deals. Definitely worth a search. Search here.
 firstchoice mikes-hand Last Minute, All Inclusive & Cheap Holidays to the sun.
  mikes-hand Get 15% Off Multiday Passes + Other great deals
londonpass mikes-hand Save 6% on Site Now
  mikes-hand Get 15% off Orders
 bigbustours mikes-hand  Get up to $5 off selected adult tickets.
  mikes-hand Save 10% off posted rate when you reserve & prepay for parking in advance..

How to Bluff @ Poker – Like a Pro

by

What is Bluffing?

Basically – bluffing is the technique of utilizing deception and misdirection to achieve a result.  For example, you may wish to secure a raise and so could threaten to leave your job if you don’t get it. You really have no desire to resign, but you may be able to get a raise by running this bluff.

Know Your Opponent

The 1st part of the bluff, whether in poker or in real life, is to know your adversary. Are they going to believe you and your bluff in the first place? Also, are they a person who does not intimidate easily and will call your bluff.

If you are going into your work office to demand a raise “or you’re resigning” you will need to know whether your employer values your work contribution enough and whether the bluff will work.  If easily replaceable, then your bluff is doomed to failure.

Don’t Let up That You’re Bluffing

One of the worst things you can do if trying to bluff is give off  what  is termed a “tell”.  Tells are clues that provide your opponent information about your bluff, or in this case your true intentions.

For example, car salesmen are expert at determining tells.  They can see when they have a client “on the hook”  for a car and with those clients they can extract the maximum amount for the car.

While shopping for a car with these salesmen, you want to carefully hide your tells.  Keep to the basic facts about the vehicle and don’t show too much emotion.  You might want to shop around in order to counter with prices you have seen at other yards.

 Exit Strategy

While bluffing, leave yourself an exit if your bluff is called.  For example, you may want to refresh your resume and test the job market prior to asking your boss for a raise.  For that car you are looking at, you may want to contact a number of dealerships to determine the best price on the car in the event your dealer doesn’t want to give you the best price.

Providing yourself exits is known as semi-bluffing in poker.  You really don’t have the ability to carry through your threat, but in the right circumstances you can still get your desired result.

There are many other methods to improve your bluffing ability, but these three principles are great ways to start fine-tuning your bluffing skills in poker or the real world.

How not to be a jerk online

by

JerkThere’s something about those inter-webs  that spins a relatively mild-mannered guy into a ranting moron. In a place where openly sharing your opinions is so straightforward, many guys these days massively “over-share”, usually via the political rant, ongoing sports commentary, or everyday updates about life. We all know about the breakfast intagram.

To me, the most annoying occurrence of oversharing on the internet is the political rant. I like a decent political debate just as much as anyone else, but unfortunately there isn’t much actual debate going on, and most of it is mindless zombie-like blathering. Sure, there are certain crannies and nooks on the net where intelligent debate thrives, but for the most part it’s idiots voicing their views and opinions as facts with one underlying theme: “if anyone disagrees, they are wrong.” Here’s how to not be a jerk if talking politics on the web:

1. Don’t say a thing. Maybe sharing a provocative URL is all you need to do. Leave your own commentary off and let your link speak for itself.

2. Accept opposing views, and thank the person for providing them. “Great. Thanks for your feedback Uncle Bob!” While you might be seething internally, just accept that others see things in different lights and move fofrward.

3. Engage with your dissenters, but engage with their ideas, not with them personally. When you start to label your opponent  you’re going into dangerous territory, and this is where internet debates always go astray.

4. Exchange places. Consider, “If what they’re saying is correct, what ramifications would there be?” If you place yourself in their shoes, you might realize they have a decent point…or maybe they don’t.

5. Use correct grammar. Once you start TYPING IN UPPER CAPS AND BOLDING WITHOUT REASON, people cease reading. Nothing makes you look like a moron faster than engaging caps lock.

6. Keep it minimal. No one really wants to read your 20 links a day about African children. Yes, it’s really sad, but consider about how much information you disregard on the net every day. Why? Because it’s commonly from a source that showers you with data that you don’t really want. The people who Tweet, Facebook, or share the least that you should probably pay the most attention to.

7. Joke. Jokes are perfect teaching methods. If you can condense a tough concern into a funny joke (like political cartoonists do), you are adding value to the information and people appreciate this.

Remember that you are interacting with a real person not the computer; if you wouldn’t say it to their face, you probably shouldn’t type it online (this generally works for most people). There’s no need to let fly with every thought that runs through your consciousness.